


The Resurrection of one Jason Peter Todd (not Wayne)

by rafamarkos5998



Series: Son of Shiva [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: American Gods References, Destiny, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hamilton Lyrics, Hamilton References, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Immortality, Major Character Undeath, Resurrected Jason Todd, Resurrection, The Book of Souls, accepting death, and hopefully get to rise like him too, and life, because I'm going down with all my bad ideas, no beta we die like jason, or studying, or working, that isn't a tag for some reason, the concept and the person, yet again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:41:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26139829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rafamarkos5998/pseuds/rafamarkos5998
Summary: A look at Jason's experience of the time between his death and his resurrection. After all, coming back from nonexistence shouldn't exactly be possible.
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain & Jason Todd, Destiny of the Endless & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Talia al Ghul & Jason Todd
Series: Son of Shiva [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1857853
Comments: 7
Kudos: 231





	The Resurrection of one Jason Peter Todd (not Wayne)

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the chapter describing Shadow going through the underworld in American Gods, and I _really_ like how his resurrection is played. I wanted to co-opt some of that idea here, although I presume it bears very little actual resemblance to the material that inspired it.
> 
> And because I really like writing Talia-Jason stuff, I wrote some of that as well. I hope it fits the piece.

When Jason opens his eyes, all he sees is a vast expanse of white.

_Well, time for all the mental landscape wankfuckery you see in every overly contemplative story. How did I end up this way again?_

"You're not entirely wrong there."

Jason looks to his right and sees a man in a long shroud carrying a book. Since there is nobody else around, he's probably the guy who spoke.

 _Destiny_ , he thinks, remembering the description he heard from Death once.

"Yes, that is correct."

Jason facepalms.

"The whole point of asking for nonexistence was to not have this happen. So please don't tell me there's some great war I need to stop because somebody is tricking Bruce and... I don't know, Metron, into fighting each other."

Destiny, despite his appearance, manages a sheepish smile.

"Oh, fuck no-"

-And immediately lets the mischief seep into his face.

"-and fuck you."

"Death is right about your kind being interesting to play with."

"Please don't take her advice on the subject of 'playing with people'. That's a bad idea. A _very_ bad idea. At least for the people that you are playing with. I know compassion and mercy for us poor creatures isn't exactly your thing, but please don't do that shit."

"You need not worry, I am not here for a trivial chat."

"So could you tell me why you brought me back into existence?"

"As much as I would like to claim the credit for your return to the world of things that are, I am not the one responsible for it. You are."

_Wait what?_

In response to his thoughts, Destiny opens up the book that chained to his hand, turns over a page and flips the book to show it to him.

"So you just happened to go to the page you wanted to? On the first try?"

"I have read through the Book of Souls innumerable times. I already know where the records of the notable personages are."

"Okay, so there are some heroes I know of listed here... And I'm not on the list, so if this was supposed to be a morale booster intended to compel me to will myself back to life, you're doing a piss poor job."

Destiny shuts the book before replying. "I am not trying to convince you to go back to the land of the living. You will be doing that of your own accord shortly, I merely wanted to converse with you before you left Limbo."

Jason cocks his head to the side, looking around at the place.

"Before we get to the whole 'me coming back to life on my own issue', I got to admit, this place isn't one for false advertising. I've noticed, I've got the same feeling that I get when I start losing time due to some magic stuff in the real world."

"Firstly, this world is as real as the one you came from. Its... emptiness is purely by design. Secondly, we the Endless did not name it so. That can be attributed to a certain hero who came here, centuries ago. Her name has been lost, but her impact has lasted through the aeons."

Jason raises an eyebrow at Destiny, who merely makes a motion akin to shrugging in normal humans. It is... odd, to say the least. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who subscribes to the idea of shrugging his shoulders.

"Ask what you will, Jason Peter Todd. I assure you, I will attempt to be as honest as I can."

"You didn't say Wayne."

"Do you think of that name as yours?"

"It's kinda funny, something like you taking notice of a bunch of dumb humans on a tiny planet out in the middle of nowhere." Diversion is always the best tactic.

"And yet said planet has seen more world-shattering conflicts than any other in existence. Surely you have noticed that there is something special about it."

"I'd say it's something about it being free real estate, but I'm not sure you're into meme culture."

Going by the expression on Destiny's face, he isn't.

"Your planet is a strange place, to say the least. It is rare to find a species that so delicately straddles the line between the mundane and the profound."

Jason shakes his head.

"You immortal entities from beyond the pale have this annoying tendency of trying so goddamn hard to speak in twisted riddles. As much as I like Shakespeare, I prefer to talk in a smoother form of English than that."

"Forgive me, but my oldest sister is the only one who has attempted some form of cultural submersion with your species, and thus the rest of us are not as well-acquainted with the cultural trends of the current day."

"You guys keep coming down here this goddamn regularly, and yet you won't bother to learn enough about us to carry out a decent conversation?"

"If it helps, Dream has a tendency of appearing before the creative ones. And your soul seems to have an inclination towards the arts."

"I'm not a particularly creative guy. Not to mention that I usually don't have the time or energy for that. Our family doesn't really slack off on our jobs."

"And finally coming back to the point, who is your family?"

He pauses for a second to think through his reply. "Talia. Cass."

He wants to say Bruce, but for some reason, he can't.

In response, Destiny opens up the book to another page and turns it to Jason.

This time, he sees Talia and Cass, along with some short notes on their lives. He hadn't seen their names before, in the section with the heroes. He doesn't like the names they sit with.

Destiny seems to be on the verge of expositing again. Jason turns his head away from the page before him and towards the old... deity? Who knows what he prefers to be called... whatever the guy is, he will be paying him the minimum possible amount of attention.

"The book usually sorts itself according to the needs and tendencies of the reader. The reason the section you are seeing consists of all the influential people of your world is due to your pattern-seeking tendencies."

Damn, having detective skills is hurting him here, wasn't it?

"No, it is to aid you in understanding the contents. You will notice that the names are occurring in patterns that make sense to you."

Yeah. Increasing order of significance, _to him_.

"And now, let us turn to another page."

And when Destiny turns over a few more pages, he sees his name. Surrounded by a few others.

But these names, and the notes next to them, are different. Fundamentally different. And since he is a detective, he knows the exact reason why.

"The Book of Souls is a record across all time, but when you cover so much time, it ceases to convey anything. A book that can convey no information is worthless - a fact that I am sure you understand. Thus, events need to be cut out, minimized, rephrased, such that they can be converted into a narrative and thereby carry some iota of meaning. Some people have stories that are unimportant even to those they encounter regularly, and some people influence those far beyond their personal circle."

Destiny closes the book and tucks it back into his side before continuing his spiel.

"The significance of these people you have looked at through the Book is defined by the narrative you want to see. However, there are some narratives that cannot be known before they happen. And thus, they remain in flux, and all you see is a story that ends in the middle."

"Like mine." Jason responds.

"Yes. Your story, for so much of your life, was written by the people around you without your consent. The passages you see were written by the wills of others. However, you know that you are capable of writing the rest of your story on your own terms."

Jason isn't a fool. This sounds a bit too convenient.

"I don't buy it. Why me?"

"Your story has weight, has meaning. It draws on an uncommon idea that is rare in the tales of your world. I'm sure you have noticed that the pieces of your story that you could see are very different from those of the other people you know of. Even those whose names are so closely correlated to yours that their names are next to yours."

"I don't understand... who are these guys?"

"You know what they are. As to the details of their personalities, knowing that might require... a personal touch?"

Jeez, the fucker sounds like Alfred now.

Thankfully, Destiny doesn't comment on that.

"You know, none of this actually made any sense. At all. Why do you guys even bother talking when you don't want us puny beings to actually understand any of it?"

"But you do understand it."

Fucker is right on that, he does understand it. At least some of it.

"It is not necessary for you to know all there is to know about the Book. After all, it is a record of all that is and will be. But it is necessary for you to know what you are, and what you can be."

"I don't see exactly why it is necessary for me to know anything you've been talking about."

"Let me rephrase myself. It would be in your interests to utilize this information."

"I'm not interested in another go on the merry-go-round."

"And now, knowing what you know, you can ensure that it does not end up being that way."

Jason can't argue with that.

"If you were comfortable with the life you have lived, we would not be here. And you are clearly the type to be tenacious enough to hold onto life with the sheer force of your will."

"That's flattering to hear. You got any more ego-boosting compliments for me?"

Destiny smirks. How that was even possible, Jason did not know.

"The rage inside you, is both your greatest asset and your greatest weakness. It is why your story matters, why it will be worth remembering. But it will also prevent you from making the best choices in the situations that you will be confronted with. Anger has its uses - but it should be ruled by you, never the other way around."

Nobody has actually told him that before. Except for Talia.

And that's when he realizes that once he wakes, he has a decision to make.

Destiny's expression seems to indicate that he agrees.

"Good luck, Jason Peter Todd. And do not throw away your shot."

And with that, the white overwhelms his vision like a flashbang, and he wakes up.

\----------------------------------------

Jason leans back into the seat to relax, after making sure that the car has left Gotham safely and that the Bats aren't chasing them. He lets out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Well, we're out of the woods on that one. For now, at least."

Talia looks at him, surprise and disbelief still etched into her face.

"Don't worry, it's me. I think."

"That's not an encouraging sign, and you know it."

"Relax, T, I'm fine."

"You died, Jason. Yesterday. From a bullet to the skull. And just after you returned to life, you left your family after a frankly stressful altercation. Forgive me for not believing you at once."

"They're not my family. Adoption papers and a smattering of hospitality don't make them my family."

Talia cocks her head to the side as she looks at him, an indescribable emotion crossing her face. _What's she thinking?_

"And what are we?"

"Mother and son, if you'll have it."

Jason had expected to feel tense at such a declaration, but for some reason, he doesn't. He can't pinpoint why, but it feels _right_ to be saying that.

Talia doesn't respond verbally. She reaches over from her side of the car, to lean in and envelop him in the fiercest hug he has ever received - and that's more than a bit surprising, that award had originally gone to the hug he had received from her when she saw him in the Batcave.

He wishes he could receive a hug like that every day for the rest of his life. It's a pipe dream, but he's allowed to have those, right?

He melts into the hug and embraces her back, trying to return the affection in some way. He can't compare to what Talia is giving him - he never could - but it doesn't feel like he's swindling her anymore. Instead, it feels... natural, to be overwhelmed by genuine affection. It feels _right_ , in a way he can't explain but intimately understands.

"We should call the Outlaws. They'll be able to cover for us, a bit."

An indescribable expression crosses Talia's face. _That's more like it_ , Jason thinks. He's much more accustomed to Talia pulling that expression than the one that shows unabashed concern and love.

"They do not know of the events that befell you yesterday."

"Well, then we can hopefully discuss that in a somewhat comfortable scenario. After all, having some people not affiliated to you on our side would be extremely helpful."

"I can-"

"-not 'keep me safe' by yourself, or whatever you were thinking of. Not if I ever want to come back to Gotham."

He knows that Talia knows that he can't really stay away from Gotham. The city is a part of him, _belongs_ to him, in a way it has never belonged to Bruce. He hopes she will not try to keep him away because no matter how good it is for him to stay the fuck away from The Oozing Boil of New Jersey, he can't.

Thankfully, Talia's phone rings. A convenient distraction. He'll take it.

Talia picks it up, her face twisting in anger. She always instructs her people to not call her at times like these, when she is with Jason. The two of them usually don't get much time for themselves alone, so she institutes a strict policy of not contacting her unless absolutely necessary.

Jason has no idea who's on the other side, but he's readying up to watch Talia tear into one of her employees when she takes a sharp breath.

"Habibi?"

Ah. The Demon Brat must have gotten around to using the phone. He turns to the window and lays his head on the thick bulletproof glass, his breath misting up the inside. He hopes that Talia gets to reconnect meaningfully with her child. It's a shame she's had to give into Bruce's ego.

After a few minutes, Talia hangs up, and Jason turns back around. Before Talia can ask the question he knows is coming, he fills in the gaps for her.

"I asked Tim to give him the phone I use to contact you. Tim has probably also given him the rest of my hidden burners across the safehouses, and besides, Cass also has your contact along with Shiva's. He'll be able to get to you."

And he decides to use the best argument he has to convince Talia to accept the Outlaws' assistance.

"I need to come back, at least for him. Even if Dami leaves Bruce, he's never going to leave Robin. Not anytime in the near future. And even then, he would never leave Gotham. The whole heroism gig is more addictive than heroin."

And he knows he has her. She can't really go against Damian, she's never been able to. Talia's always stopped _him_ from having the things he desires when they are clearly harmful to him, but she's never been able to have that same firmness towards the little brat.

Although he's fine with Talia spoiling the kid. Despite being the grandson of Ra's al Ghul and his designated heir, he's had a tough life and could use some coddling of the emotional kind. (Not the material one, both his families had that _covered_.)

Talia nods, slowly, and he lets a smile cross his face.

"Give me the phone. I need to make a few calls."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it.
> 
> It's harder for me to write these days since there's little time left after all the training sessions I have to keep up with. I hope this turned out well, but at this point, I don't really know.
> 
> I do have plans for how the middle and end of this series go, but the connecting segments are much blurrier. Not to mention that other story ideas pop up in my head after I read what people have written here on AO3.


End file.
